Out of the Porsche factory comes the world's most expensive golf car

Think about it. Where else would you unveil the world’s most expensive golf cart but Monaco? For a mere US$52,000, you can own the Garia Soleil de Minuit – the world’s most costly production luxury golf cart complete with double-wishbone front suspension, fridge and painted in the color of your choice. Driven out of the same factory as the Porsche Cayman and Boxter, the Garia Soleil de Minuit is designed to deliver the ultimate on-course driving experience. Whether it lowers your golf handicap is beside the point.

Apart from its tag as the most expensive golf car ever made by a manufacturer, the Garia is a golf car with a pedigree. Assembled at the Valmet Automotive factory in Finland, its drive train is built by the same Italian company that produces Ducati gearboxes, and the aluminum profiles in the frame are made by the supplier to Aston Martin, Jaguar and Volvo. All four wheels have hydraulic brakes – discs on the front and drums at the rear.

“After years of research and development, we were ready to build this unique vehicle, and took the decision to partner with Valmet Automotive,” says Anders Lynge, designer of the Garia Golf Car and Creative Director of Garia Inc. “Valmet Automotive is world-renowned for being very quality-conscious. This is the first time ever that a golf vehicle of this kind has been assembled by a high-end automotive factory, and we are very satisfied with the result.”

The base price for a Garia starts at US$17,499 (excl. delivery and taxes) and luxury upgrades include a built-in refrigerator and exterior paint color of your choice – great if you want to match it to other marques in your garage – heated laminated windscreen, aluminum wheels, digital instrumentation layout, a large utility box and multifunctional rear-section, just to name a few.

The manufacturers say that their innovative thinking and quality craftsmanship make a truly unique golf car that is guaranteed to give you an exceptional driving experience - if you'll excuse the pun..

The Garia Soleil de Minuit is on show at the Top Marques Monaco from April 15-18, 2010.